Eyewear retention devices adapted to be connected to the earpieces of an eyewear device, such as glasses or sunglasses, and worn around a user's head or neck to keep the eyewear in place, are known. This type of eyewear retention device is made of a flexible material such as neoprene, fabric, or cord (including semi-flexible materials such as molded plastic straps) and often has an adjustable length. Some styles of eyewear retention device have loops on their ends, through which the earpieces of the eyewear device may be placed to connect the strap to the eyewear. Other styles of eyewear retention device are tubular or have flexible end sockets to receive the ends of the earpieces to connect the eyewear to the strap.
Headphone speakers are also known, the speakers adapted to be connected by a wired or wireless connection to a sound transmitting device such as a CD player, MP3 player, radio, audio compression storage device or other audio device carried remotely in a pocket or elsewhere on the person, such that the headphone speakers are “plugged in” to the sound transmission device. Two common types of headphone speaker include “over-the-ear” or “in-the-ear” styles. Over-the-ear speakers are typically worn over a user's ear, while in-the-ear speakers, such as ear buds, are worn in a user's ear. Additionally, DMA exciter headphone speakers are known, which transmit audio signals to the ear or surfaces of the ear. DMA exciter speakers are typically not worn in the ear, but rather behind or near the ear.
Wireless headsets that are used with mobile telephones are also known. Wireless mobile phone headsets typically use the Bluetooth™ short-range wireless communication protocol. The typical “headset” is actually a device worn on the user's ear to provide hands-free communication and control between the user and a nearby mobile device such as a phone. Other Bluetooth-type communication uses include, but are not limited to, wireless networking between PCs; wireless communication with PC input and output devices; transfers of files, contact details, calendar appointments, and reminders between devices using OBEX (OBject EXchange) communication protocol; replacement of traditional wired serial communications between devices; as a substitute for infrared control over devices; sending small advertisements between Bluetooth-enabled devices; in wireless video game controllers; and for converting mobile phones to modem use. While Bluetooth-type wireless headsets are primarily used in conjunction with mobile phones, it is possible to use such headsets in conjunction with these other devices.
U.S. patent application US 2009/0097688 discloses audio speakers mounted on housings arranged to be carried by the frame of a pair of eyeglasses, to allow the user to listen to a radio, CD player, MP3 or other data file player, or a mobile phone or other mobile communication device, via a receiver provided in the eyeglasses themselves. The audio speakers are intended to float immediately adjacent the user's ear canal entrances, or to be used as in-ear speakers. The housings define support regions that may be worn over and/or behind the ear, the arms/earpieces of the glasses resting upon the support regions of the housings rather than directly upon the ears. Alternatively, the support regions may be adapted to allow the associated housings to be carried by the arms or earpieces of a pair of glasses. In one embodiment, the audio speaker in one of the housings is directly electrically connected by a terminal to the receiver in the glasses frame, and the other audio speaker in the housing on the opposite side of the glasses is connected to the receiver by a signal-carrying wire passing through a strap that connects the audio housings behind the user's neck or head and that also serves as a safety strap. The application also teaches that the receiver on the glasses frame could incorporate a Bluetooth type transmitter/receiver, and that the receiver on the glasses frame could include a microphone and transmitter for that purpose.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. US 2008/0107289 discloses a bone conduction audio device that is incorporated into a headband worn around the head, hat or helmet, in various embodiments. This audio device transmits sound via bone conduction, whereby sound is transmitted directly from the skull and jaw bones to the cochlea, bypassing the outer and middle ears of a user. The disclosure teaches that because each user has a unique vibratory pattern for his/her skull, the transducers can be movable/adjustable to adjust sound for each user. In one embodiment, the headband is rotated around a user's head to adjust sound by making contact with different skull parts. In an alternate embodiment, the transducers are movable about the headband to adjust sound. The application teaches that at a minimum, transducers should be located at the front and back of a user's head. The application teaches that the bone conduction audio device is designed for underwater use—it is waterproof. The application discloses that the headband can be coupled by wired or wireless connection to a sound source such as an MP3 player, CD player, or other portable musical device that can be worn on the arm. The disclosure states that the transducers may also be connected to the band of eyewear such as goggles, a facemask or sunglasses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,323 to Walker discloses a tubular strap with tubular ends engaging the ends of the earpieces on a pair of eyeglasses, a miniature radio clipped to one of the tubular earpiece-receiving ends, and an audio speaker on the exterior of each of the tubular ends, the speakers mounted on auxiliary tubes on the exterior of the tubular ends. Speaker wire connecting the two speakers runs through the tubular strap, but is not present in the earpiece-receiving tubular ends, so that the earpieces do not rub the wire when the earpieces are inserted and removed in the strap's tubular ends. The speakers appear to be of the in-ear “bud” type.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,345 to Urwyler discloses a tubular eyeglass strap with in-ear earphones disposed at each open end of the tubular strap, and connecting wires running through a channel in the tubular strap. Lateral slits are formed near the open ends of the strap to receive the earpiece ends of a pair of eyeglasses. The portions of the tubular strap between the lateral slits and the open ends wrap over and around the forward portions of a user's ears, and the earphones lodge in the user's ear canal.